Fighter

Chapter 20

After she sent Jay away, promising him she would text him later, she got to work on her list of what to bring with her. She had packed most of her coziest clothing, leaving her jeans, and work attire in the old dresser. "Guess I'm making a trip to town." She said to herself as she glanced down at the items she didn't have, that were suggested. She left the open suitcase on her bed, and headed down the stairs to pull her jacket and boots back on, before heading to her car. Pulling out of the driveway, she made her way out of the neighborhood, she made a mental checklist to stop at the electronics store. As she drove along, all of sudden she was first hit with a wave of nausea, followed by the same pains she had gotten so used to the last bit. She pulled over to the corner of the road and switched on her lights, before leaning her forehead against the wheel, closing her eyes for a moment, breathing calmly as she waited for the nausea to subside. As she sat there, the exhaustion had tried to cover her like a blanket, but she refused to give in and sleep - especially on the side of the road. Reaching into her bag on the seat, she pulled a gravol out, before pulling back out and continuing on for her list.

She had reached the last stop on her list, when she ran into Natalie and Will. "Erin? It's so good to see you!" Natalie said, pulling her into a hug. "You too! Will." She nodded in his direction. "Everything okay? You look a little ashy." He observed. She bit the inside of her lip, as she nodded. "I'm great, just out to grab a few things." She lifted one of the bags in her hand. "Will told me you were back, I'm glad. We should all do a night over at Molly's!" She liked Natalie, though they had only known each other a small amount of time before she left for New York, the woman had been nothing but kind to her. "Does Jay even know you're back?" Will said suddenly. The smile fell from Natalie's face and she nudged him, as a warning. "Actually, yeah. I talked to him earlier at the district. A Molly's night would be fun. It was nice to see you guys, but I really should get back." They nodded. "Good to see you too! Swing by the hospital and we can set something up." With one more pleasant smile, they went their separate ways. She would definitely be swinging by the hospital, but not for making plans to catch up over a drink. Sighing, she gathered herself to make her last purchase for a laptop at the electronics pop up store, before making her way back to the house.

Organizing her two bags and setting up her latest purchase, she tucked herself away in her room. Listening to the wind rattle the old frame of her window that had been the same way for years. She found comfort in it, as the rest of the house remained quiet. Wrapping herself up in the furry blanket she had washed and dried after pulling it out of the shopping bag, she closed her eyes as tears rolled out from beneath them, and trailed down her cheeks. Her silent cries, that she had no intention of holding back as she lied back in her bed. It was only when Voight took a seat on the end of the mattress as it dipped beneath his weight, did she even realize that she had fallen asleep. It was dark out, the room now illuminated by her beside lamp. "Hey kiddo. You hungry for anything?" She shook her head as she sat up. "Not really. What time is it?" "It's about seven. Did you finish getting together everything you need? I can run into town if not." "Oh wow. No, I took my car in earlier. Everything's packed." She said, gesturing to her luggage. "Good." They sat in silence for a minute, before he pulled something out of his pocket. "I know we didn't do the whole church thing, but i gave this to Camille when she had her first diagnosis, after Justin was born. It was like a good luck charm. I want you to hold onto it." He handed her the four leaf clover and horse shoe on the small silver chain. She took it, and observed the piece of jewelry, before he stood, getting close enough to envelop her into another hug. "It's going to be okay. Love you kiddo, get some more sleep and I'll wake you up for breakfast." She nodded and laid the chain on the table before rolling back over and closing her eyes as he shut off the light, the room now basked in darkness, aside from the street light outside her window.

Voight pulled the door closed behind him and stood there for a minute, just outside as his own tears fell. For the first time in years, he had dreamt of his late wife the night before and knowing how ill his foster daughter really was, it brought back his repressed memories of Camille in and out of hospital. Erin had been living with them during her foster mothers relapse and it was not a pretty sight. Aggressive, was a light term for how the cancer had taken his wife, and he just wasn't prepared to lose the second most important girl in his life. She was all he had left in this world.